


The Colors in Your Eyes

by ERL33



Category: HOH - Fandom, PJO - Fandom, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: A+ Parenting, Angst, But Not Much, Coming Out, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Seriously its so fluffy, for a god, no really Hades is actually good at it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 13:05:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1551482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ERL33/pseuds/ERL33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Nico gets a wardrobe change, Iris gets protective, and Hades proves he really is the best dad on Olympus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Colors in Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Let it be known that I cannot, and will never be able to, write anything but hopeless fix-its.

Inspired by [this](http://the-lone-reader.tumblr.com/post/84314939013) post that randomly popped up on my dash. (seriously, read the post first because then this story makes so much more sense)

 

Nico pretends to be angry about the stupid shirt but secretly keeps it and wears it to bed sometimes because he likes the color even though he isn't supposed to like light, pretty things, no matter what Jason says.

A few nights later, one of the Iris kids sneaks a peek of him when he runs to the bathroom in the aforementioned yellow shirt. It just looks so good on him that the kid can't help himself. He slips into the Hades Cabin and changes all of Nico's shirts into various colors of Green, Pink, Purple, Blue, and Yellow.

Everyone hears Nico shouting with fury the next morning all the way across camp. When he finally storms into the dining hall for breakfast, he's wearing a lilac t-shirt with black designs cause it was the darkest article of clothing he has left. He doesn't notice that the Iris boy just can't stop blushing and his siblings all tease him mercilessly for liking the Prince of the Underworld.

Iris appears to her son that evening in his special bowl that she gave him for his eleventh birthday.

"Now honey, I don't mind you liking boys but does it really have to be someone so dreary?"

"Mom!" Tristan (The kid's name is Tristan) squeaks. He argues with his basin of water for a good half an hour, talking about how sweet and colorful Nico is on the inside and how he kept the yellow shirt and how his eyes take on flecks of whatever color shirt he’s wearing so that’s why he changed all of his shirt colors. And Iris isn’t sure whether to be proud or worried so she just decides to be both and tells her son she loves him and she’ll have a quick word with Hades.

Meanwhile, Nico is trying to dye his shirts back to black but it isn’t working. And then suddenly his dad is just _there_. In his bedroom by the shrine. And Nico jumps and yelps and tries to hide all of the colorful clothes but his dad just shakes his head with a little smile on his face.

"You can't dye them back because it was a Child of Iris who changed the color. Their magic is very sticky when it comes to colorful transformations. Trust me." Hades tells him and he touches the shirt in Nico’s hand. In an instant it returns it to its original black. Nico begins to reach for the next shirt but Hades holds up a hand to stop him.

“Nico, do you really want me to change all of these back to black?” he asks, his voice gentler than Nico had ever heard him. It makes Nico very nervous.

“Of course.”

“I’ve checked on you a few nights ago, when you were wearing the yellow shirt. You seemed to like it.” His father points out, causing Nico to freeze. “You know its okay to like bright colors, even if you are my son. After all, I enjoy the sun’s glow just as much as any other god.”

“Really?” Nico asks, his voice small and brittle. Hades sighs and sits on the bed, patting the space next to him as an indication that Nico should sit next to him.

“There is a talk that we haven’t had that should have taken place a long time ago.” Hades begins. Nico jumps up and backs towards the door.

“What? What are you talking about?” his voice is trembling now, almost breaking. Hades shakes his head, his eyes kind when they meet Nico’s.

“You know exactly what I mean, Nico. Now come here. There is nothing to be afraid of.”

Shaking, Nico resumes his seat, though he sits perched on the very edge of the mattress. He lets his chin drop to his chest, his hair falling around his face.

“Would you like to start or should I?” his father asks after a few moments of tense silence. Nico shakes his head vigorously, his hands twisting nervously in his lap. “Nico, I’m not upset.”

“And what if I am?” Nico demands, angry. Hades eyebrows hit his hairline.

“About what?”

“I’m already a freak. Not human, not a normal demigod. And now this! Why do I always have to be so different? I hate being different.” Nico spills without his lips asking permission from his brain. Hades’ head shakes again, his wild hair so like Nico’s as it frames his face.

“You are not a freak. You are as normal as a demigod can be. Just as Percy talks to horses and controls the water or Jason controls the lightning and flies, you are just the same. You speak with the dead and shadow travel. You are not a freak.” Hades insists, proving he is a far better father than either of his brothers. Or at least better than Zeus.

“And what about the other thing? If that doesn’t make me a freak than what does?” Nico tries to snarl but it comes out as a watery hiss. Hades places a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder.

“That is normal as well. We are Greek, my child.” Hades tells him, his eyes glittering with amusement.

“There is nothing normal about it.” Nico wants to shake the hand from his shoulder but he can't bring himself to shed the contact. It had been ages since anyone had touched him without intending harm, whether it was sparring in the ring or mock battling in Capture the Flag. With Hazel off adventuring with Frank and Jason busy dating Piper, no one had wanted to come anywhere near Nico. Except that cute boy from the Iris cabin…

Nico slams down on the part of his brain that supplied this last thought but Hades is grinning at him knowingly.

“The boy is rather attractive, I do admit. He will grow up to be quite handsome. Not quite to my tastes though. I like them more world-weary. I learned my lesson after Persephone about naivety in relationships. I’ve lived far too long as the god of Underworld. But for you… he seems like a nice boy.” Nico blushes furiously as he jerks to his feet and puts distance between himself and his godly parent.

“I-“ he starts but then closes his mouth. Finally, when he opens it again, there is no anger tainting his words, only exhaustion. “Why do I have to feel this way, Dad? Why can’t I be normal?”

Hades feel something twinge in the area where a human heart would have resided. It is the same place that had caused him so much pain since he lost Maria. The god stands and opens his arms to Maria’s last remaining child. After only a moment’s hesitation, Nico rushes into those open arms and clings tightly to his father’s tattered band t-shirt.

“You feel this way because that is how you were born. Just as some boys like girls and some girls like girls, it is also true that some boys like boys. Some people even like both or none at all. And that is okay. You are perfectly allowed to. It doesn’t make you abnormal. It just makes you, you.”

Nico sobs. His tears soak through his father’s shirt but Hades can’t find it in himself to mind. Quietly, he croons in Italian to the boy and strokes his tangled dark hair that is so like his mother’s. Finally, when Nico quiets, Hades steers them back to the bed.

“Thanks.” Nico sniffs, wiping his eyes with his still purple sleeve. Hades hums agreeably as he conjures a black handkerchief with lilac embroideries for Nico to mop himself up with. Even when he is presentable, he doesn't lean away from his father’s hold. After a few moments of companionable silence, Nico asks quietly, “Do you think the Iris boy likes me? I think his name is 'Tristan'.”

Hades chuckles as he continues to stroke Nico’s hair. The boy glares up at his father with accusing eyes that just makes Hades chuckled harder.

“Yes, I do believe he does.” Hades tells him, not mentioning the scathing warning he received from Iris regarding her little boy’s heart and what would happen if Nico broke it. Hades had, of course, responded that he would be just as displeased if Tristan were to do the same to Nico. That had shut Iris up right quick.

“What do I do?” Nico asks, sounding unsure and curious. “I’ve- I’ve never liked anyone like that. Someone who might like me back, I mean.”

“You talk to him. Maybe thank him for your t-shirts. Let him know you like them. He’s probably scared out of his wits that you hate him now.” Hades hints, knowing from Iris that it is true. Nico shakes his head.

“I’m not good at talking to people.” He mumbles.

“Then you should start practicing. Were you an expert swordsman when you first picked up a blade?” Hades asks. Nico can't help the chuckle that escapes his mouth at that. No, he had been a terrible swordsman at first.

“I’ll try.” He promises, staring up at his father through his dark bangs.

“That is all a father can ask. And that you eat a little more, you are still skin and bones.” Hades tells him, a little sternness in his voice. Nico blushes and nods. “Good boy. I need to go now.”

“You’re leaving?” Nico asks as they both stand. Hades shirt is dry now but it is definitely more wrinkled that it had been upon his arrival.

“Unfortunately, duty calls. Thantos has been trying to contact me for the last 20 minutes about something that is _incredibly important_. ‘Lazy’ is what I call it. But then again, I did leave him to deal with one particularly upset grandmother who hadn’t wanted to enter my realm just yet. Thank all the gods that the Fields of Asphodel temper their personalities or I would have souls trying to make a break for it all the time.” Hades moans dramatically. Nico can't help but laugh, knowing exactly what his father means.

“Will you come back?” he asks after a moment. His voice is small and hopeful.

“Of course. I’m not like Zeus, just running around on my wife and then forgetting about my children until they are useful.” Hades says scowling. That reminds Nico of something.

“How are Hazel and Frank doing? They haven’t been in contact lately.”

“They are doing quite well. I only check on them during the day though. There are some things a father really doesn’t need, or want, to know.” Hades shudders. Nico blanches, causing his father to burst out laughing.

“Okay, thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” Nico replies, his blanche turning to a vicious blush.

“I’ll see you soon. Now, go on and court that young Iris boy. I love you, son.” Nico’s blush deepens as he returns shyly,

“I love you, too. Dad.” With that, his father disappears into the shadows around the shrine. Nico stands there for a moment, just taking in everything that had just happened. Soon though, he hears the sound of the campfire songs sung by Apollo’s cabin blowing in through the window on the night air. He sighs and digs out the yellow shirt from the bottom of the pile. Pulling it on, he trudges down to where all the campers are sitting around the bonfire. As he approaches, the flames don’t dim like they usually do. Instead, they get brighter, if not a little shaky. He slides quietly through the crowd, having learned on his first campfire back at camp that shadow traveling is a bad idea in a group of jumpy, war weary demigods. He had nearly gotten his head chopped off for that.

As soon as he spots Tristan, his heart leaps a little in his chest. The boy is unusually quiet, glancing around the edges of the fire as if looking for someone. Nico slides into the seat next to him, surprising the other boy.

“Hi.” Nico says before he could lose his nerve. Tristan smiles, though it trembles a little.

“Hey.” He says back. Nico had never noticed how many colors danced in the other boy’s eyes.

“I just wanted to say ‘thanks’. You know, for all my shirts. They look really nice.” Nico forces out, praying to his father that he was using the right words. Tristan’s already dazzling eyes light up.

“You like them?! I didn’t think you did but your eyes look so pretty when you wear colors that I just couldn’t stand to see you in black _all_ the time.” Tristan begins to babble about color wheels and palettes at a speed Nico could hardly follow. He relaxes, a smile adorning his face as he listened to the other boy talk. When there was a break in the flow of speech, Nico asks,

“You paint right? I’ve seen you with paintbrushes before.” Tristan’s eyes widen.

“Yeah, I love it. I guess I get it from my parents.” Tristan tells him shyly. “My dad is a painter. I think that’s why my mom was so attracted to him. He’s really good.”

“That’s really cool.” Nico commented. Tristan is just about to launch into what was probably his entire life’s story when a new song breaks through the little bubble that had somehow encapsulated the two.

“ _Tristan and Nico sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”_ Everyone around the campfire sings. Except for a few. Jason, who had been happily gazing into Piper’s eyes, is suddenly on his feet, reaching for the sword he doesn't carry, looking angry. Piper is glaring daggers at Drew, promising pain and missing makeup for the crime of starting the song. Leo drops whatever gadget he had been fidgeting with and is standing on Jason’s right in an instant, his hands starting to glow.

Tristan, for his part, is blushing furiously, glancing at Nico for his reaction.

Nico sits frozen to his seat. Are they going to attack him? But no, they did this to anyone who was making gooey eyes at each other around the campfire. The only reason they didn’t sing it at Jason and Piper anymore was because they would just start making out, causing everyone to throw marshmallows at them. That makes Nico smile. He turns and presses his lips to Tristan’s.

The other boy's lips are soft and warm, not sticky with lip gloss like that girl Roman girl he had kissed once when he had been trying convince himself he could be straight. But this kiss was nice. Really, _really_ nice.

The kiss lasts only a moment before Nico pulls away. Tristan looks shell-shocked, but in a good way. A smile nearly splits his face in half as the surprise wears off. Around them, every camper is silent. Nico looks Drew straight in the eye and sings in a whisper,

“Not long ago and not far away.” Drew scowls furiously at him. Everyone knows that she hates camp songs in general and this one in particular.

The song rouses several Apollo children from their paralysis - they can never resist the call of a song - who pick it up immediately. Nico grins as he looks back over at Tristan, who is still wearing his shocked smile.

“I didn’t think you’d ever like me like that.” Tristan whispers after a few moments. Nico leans in to touch their noses together.

“I was worried about the same thing.”

They spend the rest of the night singing along at the top of their lungs and fighting for the best marshmallow roasting stick. Nico had never understood why everyone loved the campfire circles so much but now it makes perfect sense.

On the outside of the circle, just outside of the ring of light cast by the fire, Hades watches his son as the aching in the spot where a human heart would reside slowly eases.


End file.
